A computer-implemented method for navigating through channels in a content receiver, wherein the channels have assigned channel numbers and categories, the method comprising: providing a list of categories; providing an ordered list of channels for each category; upon receiving a channel zapping command (SIMILAR+, SIMILAR−), selecting a next channel or a previous channel from the list of channels for the current category; upon receiving a category zapping command (NEXT, PREV), selecting a last watched channel in a next category or a previous category from the list of categories and changing the current category to the next category or the previous category; storing the channel number of the selected channel as the last watched channel on the current channel category; and tuning the content receiver to the selected channel. A suitable predictive channels assignment to respective tuners is also disclosed.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer-implemented method for channel navigation and predictive tuning in a content receiver having more than one tuner, wherein the channels have assigned channel numbers and categories, the method comprising: providing a list of categories; providing an ordered list of channels for each category; receiving a channel zapping command, selecting a next channel or a previous channel from the list of channels for the current category; receiving a category zapping command, selecting a last watched channel in a next category or a previous category from the list of categories and changing the current category to the next category or the previous category; storing the channel number of the selected channel as the last watched channel on the current channel category; and tuning the content receiver to the selected channel; applying a default assignment of free tuners as per system preferences for the purpose of predictive channel tuning; executing in a loop, channel prediction comprising the following steps: awaiting for a channel category change or channel change request; storing a time of the request; determining a direction of the request wherein said directions are selected from a group comprising: a next channel, a previous channel, a next category, and a previous category; verifying that the stored time is within a threshold to the previous category or channel change and based on the verification: reading current predictive channel tuning assignment and increasing the number of tuners in the determined direction while decreasing the number of tuners in the direction identified by the system preferences; storing current predictive channel tuning assignment; tuning the free tuners to channels according to modified tuners assignment; returning to the beginning of said loop, wherein the system preferences for the purpose of predictive channel tuning define: a preference of a channel change over a category change; a preference of a next channel over a previous channel; and a preference of a next category over a previous category.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the list of categories contains a single instance of each category.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the list of categories contains a plurality of entries for at least one category.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the consecutive categories on the list of categories correspond to categories of consecutive channels in the content receiver.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein upon receiving a category zapping command, selecting the next channel or the previous channel with respect to the last watched channel of the current channel category.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, upon receiving a command to tune to a particular channel number, selecting the requested channel and changing the current category to the category of the requested channel.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said free tuners are tuners that are other the tuners used for live presented signals or recordings.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein upon notification that a tuner is released or allocated, applying a default assignment of free tuners as per system preferences for the purpose of predictive channel tuning.
9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions performing all the steps of the computer-implemented method according to claim 1 when executed on a computer.
10. A system for navigating through channels in a content receiver having more than one tuner, the system comprising: a content receiving block for providing content of a plurality of programs; a controller configured to perform the steps of the method according to claim 1 .
11. The system according to claim 10 , further comprising a remote control unit with a dedicated section of buttons comprising at least one of: a SIMILAR− button and a SIMILAR+ button configured to select the previous channel or the next channel within the current category; a NEXT button and a PREV button configured to select the next category or the previous category; and a BACK button configured to select the previously watched channel.
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April 18, 2019
October 6, 2020
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